Jordan Walden threw a 27-pitch bullpen on Tuesday without even noticing the groin issue that’s kept him out of action for the past three weeks. It’s an encouraging step for the Braves, who could have one of their top set-up men back in a game before this road trip is up.
“This is the first one that I’ve thrown since I got hurt that I wasn’t even thinking about it,” said Walden, who’d had to cut a bullpen short after five pitches a week earlier. “…Ball was coming out good, shoulder feels good, just ready to get back in the game.”
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said if Walden wakes up feeling good Wednesday, he could be ready to pitch in a game as early as Thursday’s series finale against the Marlins.
Walden has missed extended time twice this season with injuries – including a DL stint in late May with shoulder inflammation. But the plus side to his resting these past three weeks is how fresh his arms feels for the stretch run.
“This is the best my arm has felt this late in the season my whole big league career,” Walden said.
Walden and David Carpenter are tied for fourth among Braves relievers with 46 appearances. Luis Avilan leads the Braves bullpen with 68, followed by closer Craig Kimbrel with 59, and Anthony Varvaro with 55. The Braves have been able to piece together the seventh and eighth innings without both Walden and Scott Downs, who is out at least a couple of more days with a broken ring finger on his non-pitching hand.
Gonzalez said he considered using Kimbrel for a four-out save on Monday night against the Marlins but didn’t need to after Luis Ayala got through the eighth.
“Probably Avi has gotten a little more work than we’ve wanted him to get, but I think he’s still got a good number of appearances,” said Gonzalez, who made a point to rest Avilan Sunday in Philadelphia rather than pitch him three days in a row. “I think we still feel comfortable with those (number of) appearances.”
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